Roller type conveyor



Feb. 2, 1960 J. H. HEWITT, JR

ROLLER TYPE coNvEYoR Filed Jan. 19,-1959 INVENTOR.

A. .Afval United States i Patent O ROLLER TYPE coNvEYoR Justin H.Hewitt, Jr., Thomasville, Pa., assignoi` to The Oliver Corporation,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application January 19, 1959,SerialvNo. 787,444

Claims. (Cl. 193-35) This invention relates generally to roller typegravity conveyors and more particularly to the means of supporting therollers between the side rails of such conveyors.

Rollers have generally been supported on axles extending between siderails and serving to hold the side rails together. A separate fasteningoperation has been required at each end of every roller, such asinserting and bending a cotter pin or equivalent thereof throughspecially drilled transverse holes in the ends of the axles projectingthrough the side rails.

An object of this invention is to provide a sturdy, low cost roller typeconveyor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a roller type conveyorhaving fewer parts than former conveyors.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a roller typeconveyor which can be assembled more easily and faster than formerconveyors.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to timeas the following specification proceeds and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherem:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, with portions broken away, of aroller type conveyor constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a portion of a blank from which the side rails for aconveyor constructed in accordance with the invention may be formed;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of part of a conveyor constructed in accordancewith the invention;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view along line 4-4 in Fig. 1showing in detail how a roller for a conveyor constructed in accordancewith the invention may be mounted;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a portion of a modified blankfrom which a side rail for a conveyor constructed in accordance with theinvention may be formed;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of part of a conveyor illustrating amodified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 in Fig. 6.

In the blank of Figure 2, equally spaced U-shaped slots 10 have beenpunched. Portions 14 and 16 of the blank are bent substantially 90degrees to form flanges 14 and 16 connected by a Wall 18 to form a siderail generally indicated by numeral 20, while portions 12 of the blankwithin the U-slots are bent substantially 90 degrees from wall 18oppositely from the anges 14 and 16 to form integral bearing supportportions or stub axles 12. A symmetrical side rail 22 is formed bybending portions 12, 14, and 16 of a blank oppositely from flanges 14and 16 and bearing support members 12 of side rail 20.

Hollow cylindrical rollers 24 extend between side rails 20 and 22, whichare held together by tie rods 26 secured by nuts 28. The ends of eachroller 24 are closed by ball bearing assemblies which include a capportion 30 adaptable to be secured in an end of a roller 24, an outerrace p 2,923,391.v Patented Feb. 2, 1960.-

ice

member 32 secured in cap -portion 30, and an inner race` member 34. `Capportions 30 are centrally apertured toreceive the inner ends of innerrace members 34, and the inner race members 34 are centrally aperturedto receivethe bearing support members l2 of the side rails 20" and 22.The inner race members 34 are prevented from rotating on bearing supportmembers 12 by any suitable means. As shown, the apertures in members 34are hexagonal as indicated at 36, in Figure l, and support members 12extend between junction points of the sides of the hexagons.

In assembling, the rollers (including the end bearings) and tie rods aremounted at one end on one side rail, and the other side rail is thenmoved into proper engagement with the rollers and tie rods on the otherend thereof' and secured in place. No separate fastening operation islrequired at the end of each roller. The axles extending completelythrough the rollers of former conveyors have been eliminated.

The blank of Figure 5 is included to indicate the shearing of bearingsupport member 12 out of the blank Without first separately formingU-shaped slot 10 of Figure 2..

There are many ways of forming bearing support mem-- bers integral withthe side rails. Figures 6 and 7 illustrate a roller 124 mounted at itsend in a side rail 120 by means of a plurality of triangular bearingsupport members 112 formed integrally with the side rails. Variousothermodications all within the spirit and scope of the invention willreadily occur to those skilled in the art.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A side rail for a roller type conveyor comprising anf elongatedgenerally C-shaped member having a wall portion, a pair of ange portionsextending generally in one direction from said wall portion and formedintegrally4 therewith, and a plurality of support portions spacedlongitudinally along said wall portion and formed in-v tegrallytherewith and extending from said wall portione generally in an oppositedirection from said flange por tions, said support portions forming stubaxles adapted tosupport the respective ends of rollers mountablethereon.

2. A side rail for a roller type conveyor comprising an elongated memberhaving a main body portion and a plurality of support portions formedintegrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom andspaced longitudinally therealong, said support portions forming. stubaxles adapted to support the respective ends of rollers mountablethereon.

3. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side` rails, each havinga main body portion and a plurality of support portions formedintegrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom andspaced longi tudinally therealong and forming stub axles, a plurality ofrollers rotatably mounted between said side rails on said integral stubaxles thereof, and means for maintaining said side rails in spacedparallel relationship with said rollers mounted on said integral stubaxles thereof.

4. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side' rails, each havingAa main body portion and a plurality of bearing support portions formedintegrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom andspaced longitudinally therealong and forming stub axles, a plu-v ralityof rollers having axially apertured bearings in the ends thereof, saidbearings being mounted on said integral. stub axles of said side railsfor rotatably supporting said rollers therebetween, and means formaintaining said side rails in spaced parallel relationship.

5. A roller type conveyor comprising a pair of side rails, each having amain body portion and a plurality ot' bearing support portions formedintegrally with said main body portion and extending therefrom andspaced longi tudinally therealong and forming stub axles, means formaintaining said side rails in spaced parallel relationship with saidintegral stub 'axles of each side rail projecting toward the other siderail, a plurality of cylindrical rollers, and means for rotatablymonting said rollers transversely between said side rails includingouter race members secured to opposite ends of said rollers, inner racemembers mounted on said integral stub axles of said side rails, 'andball bearings between said outer 'and inner race members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

